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Sixteenth century England: a nation at a fatal fork in time, leading to two possible futures. Either an evil queen will join with the Inquisition and rule with a blood-spattered iron hand - or a benevolent queen named Elizabeth will rule wisely and well. But the evil Unseleighe Sidhe are determined that the little girl Elizabeth shall never grow up to take the throne. Opposing them are the good Sidhe of elfland, including Denoriel, who has already foiled one attempt against Elizabeth, almost at the cost of his own life. But a few years have passed, and Denoriel still guards the young princess, now eight years old, secure in the knowledge that Vidal, leader of the evil Unseleighe, is dead. Unfortunately, he is wrong. Vidal was wounded almost fatally, but now his recovery is complete and he has set in motion a plan to bring about a new dark age of which Denoriel is dangerously unaware...

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Synopsis

Sixteenth century England: a nation at a fatal fork in time, leading to two possible futures. Either an evil queen will join with the Inquisition and rule with a blood-spattered iron hand - or a benevolent queen named Elizabeth will rule wisely and well. But the evil Unseleighe Sidhe are determined that the little girl Elizabeth shall never grow up to take the throne. Opposing them are the good Sidhe of elfland, including Denoriel, who has already foiled one attempt against Elizabeth, almost at the cost of his own life. But a few years have passed, and Denoriel still guards the young princess, now eight years old, secure in the knowledge that Vidal, leader of the evil Unseleighe, is dead. Unfortunately, he is wrong. Vidal was wounded almost fatally, but now his recovery is complete and he has set in motion a plan to bring about a new dark age of which Denoriel is dangerously unaware...

Most helpful customer reviews on Amazon.com

Amazon.com:
4.7 out of 5 stars
21 reviews

Jeanette K, Librarian

5.0 out of 5 starsA tale worthy of Spenser and his "Faerie Queen".

5 November 2017 - Published on Amazon.com

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The second book in the Scepter'd Isle series is as true to history as the first, weaving the Fae Courts seamlessly into a turbulent time in history. The story picks up where the previous left off, after the beheading of Anne Boleyn, and the short but fruitful marriage between Henry VIII and Jane Seymour. This segment covers the period of time between the death of Jane Seymour and the next three marriages of the King till just after his death, before the reign of Edward begins. A masterful weaving of history and high fantasy, this historian and librarian looks forward to continuing to follow the Tudor dynasty as told as a battle between Seleighe and UnSeleighe courts.

If you accept the idea that the elves of Celtic legend were real and interacted with the mortal world, then the "Doubled Edge" series is faithful to the actual facts of Tudor history. The Elves of the Bright Court draw their power from human happiness, the Dark Court thrives on human misery. The series begins with both courts foreseeing three futures -- one in which a king deadens the joy in England, but does not bring actual misery, one in which a queen brings terrible misery and one in which a queen brings joy and life. In some way, the third foreseeing is linked to a red-haired royal baby. Since both courts see the same three futures, each tries to bring about the one that best suits their needs and to keep the other court at bay.

This is the second book of four and begins four years after the end of the previous book, "This Scepter'd Isle". It has taken this time for Elizabeth's Elven protector, Denoriel, a Bright Court Elf, to recover from the serious injury he received in a fight with Dark Court Elves at the end of the first book. The ruler of the Dark Court, was also seriously injured and has been slowly recovering, still vowing to keep Elizabeth from coming to the throne.

The plots and counter-plots of the two courts are woven around the actual lives of the mortal characters - Elizabeth, her younger half-brother, the future Edward VI, and her older half-sister, the future Bloody Mary - and their interaction with their awe- (and sometimes terror-) inspiring father, Henry VIII, and his last three wives. The book ends with Henry's death and its repercussions in the two Elven Courts..

The real and fictional mortals and the entirely (?) fictional elves are once again portrayed so realistically that the reader comes away feeling that this is the true history of the period and non-fiction is what is false.

I normally don't read this kind of stuff but I am delighted with the series. I am a sucker for a good love story and also for good historical fiction. I have read and re-read every so often this absolutely stunning example of good story telling.

Loved this entire series! Really great books. Loved the mix of historical facts with fantasy and a different view at who Queen Elisabeth might have been as a child. Plus, loved the magic system and the world of the Fae. Great book and enjoyed the entire series.